VideoLAN on Wednesday released a beta VLC for Windows 10 app, following a long development period and "a lot of issues," the team announced. The new Windows 10 app has all the features you already know and love from the iOS and Android versions of VLC, plus a few extra goodies.

"Like the classic VLC, it supports a very large number of formats," according to VideoLAN President Jean-Baptiste Kempf. It also boasts a media library with video management; a full player with subtitles, chapters, and audio/video synchronization; an audio mini-player; and a network shares browser.

On top of all that, the app supports some Windows 10-specific features like Cortana voice commands, Live Tiles, the ability to pin artists and albums to the Start menu, and Continuum for those with a Lumia 950 or Lumia 950XL device.

"Under the hood, we use some technologies exclusive to Windows 10, like some DirectX 11.1 features for video and low-latency audio," Kempf wrote. "This should give you enhanced battery life and allow smooth 4K playback."

There's also a picture-in-picture mode so you can conveniently browse your library while you're playing a video. On the audio front, all your files are sorted by album and artist, so you can quickly locate what you're looking for. The app will also offer up detailed information about musicians, including a bio and similar artists.

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The app currently works on Windows 10 desktops, tablets, and mobile devices; it should also arrive on Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 devices in a few weeks.

Perhaps even more exciting, VideoLAN is planning to bring the app to Xbox One, Surface Hub, and HoloLens devices once "a few remaining issues" get sorted out. The Xbox One version is slated to arrive this summer; in the meantime, VideoLAN has released a photo of the app running on the console to get us all excited. Check it out below.

About the Author

Angela has been a PCMag reporter since January 2012. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a reporter for SC Magazine, covering everything related to hackers and computer security. Angela has also written for The Northern Valley Suburbanite in New Jersey, The Dominion Post in West Virginia, and the Uniontown-Herald Standard in Pennsylvania. She ... See Full Bio

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